The Irish Charolais Cattle Society hosted a show and sale of pedigree bulls at GVM Tullamore Mart, Co. Offaly, on Saturday, May 31.

Also taking place on the day was the dispersal of the Prime Charolais Herd owned by the late Benny Keating from Templemore in Co. Tipperary.

In the society sale, the average price was €4,770, which was up €840 from the same sale the previous year. 12 animals sold for €5,000 and over, and the clearance rate for the sale was 80%.

The Prime dispersal sale achieved a 100% clearance rate and a top price of €8,800 for Prime Tamara (et).

Sired by Newhouse Bigal and out of Prime Rebecca (et), Tamara sold to a pedigree Charolais breeder from Co. Roscommon.

The top price in the society bull sale, which took place before the dispersal sale, was €6,800 and went to the pre-sale show Champion Kiltananlae Val 6301 (et).

Sold by Co. Tipperary-based breeder Noel Galvin, the January 2024-born bull was sired by the Society bull Magicien and out of Ashleigh Cherub (et) with Himalaya, Doonally New, Hermes, and Jupiter in the back pedigree.

He carried one copy of the Q204X gene and sold to a farmer in Taughmaconnell, Co. Roscommon who also purchased Noel’s second-entry in the sale Kiltananlae Victor 6310 (et).

Victor was also bred by a society bull, Ocelo and was out of Ashleigh Heidi, with Major, Mogador, Pinay, Diamant, and Bova Sylvain in the back pedigree. He was born in January 2024 and sold for €4,000.

There were four bulls in the society sale that made €6,000. The first to achieve the price was Rooskeynamona Volt, who was judged the Junior Champion of the show by judges George Nelson and his daughter Erin from Co. Fermanagh.

Bred by Gerry Mulligan from Mohill in Co. Leitrim, Volt was born in March 2024 and sired by the UK bull Myerscough Phantom and out of their home-bred dam Rooskeynamona Rosemary (et). He was a single carrier for the F94L gene and sold to a farmer in Ballynacarrigy, Co. Westmeath.

The next lot to sell for €6,000 was Currycramp V Phantom. Also sired by Myserscough Phantom and out of home-bred dam Currycramp Natalie, he was judged the Reserve Junior Champion of the show.

Bred by Thomas Mulligan from Dromod in Co. Leitrim, he was born in April 2024 and carried one copy of the F94L gene. This bull found his new home in Portlaoise in Co. Laois.

Mullingar breeder Kathleen Kenny received €6,000 each for her two entries in the sale. Her first entry Laraghcastle Victor (et) was sired by Major and out of their home-bred dam Laraghcastle Nelly, with Lisnagre Elite as his maternal grand-sire.

He was a single carrier of both the F94L and Q204X gene and sold to a farmer from Roscrea in Co. Tipperary.

Kathleen’s second entry was Laraghcastle Vincent (et). Born in April 2024, he was sired by Goldstar Othello and out of the same dam as Laraghcastle Victor. Vincent found his new home in Rathdowney, Co. Laois.

€5,800 was paid for the Reserve Senior Champion of the show Dereskit Viking 1205. Bred by Basil Bothwell from Killeshandra, Co. Cavan, he was born in February 2024 and sired by Dereskit Prince out of their home-bred dam Dereskit J-Girl 776.

He carried one copy of the Q204X gene and sold to a farmer in Loughrea, Co. Galway.

Two lots sold for €5,200 in the society bull sale. First into the money was Whitepark Usaine, owned by Kieran Hillary from Loughrea, Co. Galway.

Sired by Harestone Hercules and out of a home-bred dam, with Inverlochy Gurkha and Balmyle Bollinger and Lyonsdemsne Tzar in his back pedigree. He carried two copies of the F94L gene and sold to a farmer in Co. Galway.

The second bull to make €5,200 was sold by Danny Weston from Portlaoise, Co. Laois. His bull Sliabhbloom Val was born in February 2024 and carried one copy of the F94L gene.

He was sired by Lapon and out of their home-bred dam Sliabhbloom Poppy with Malicieux as his maternal grand-sire. He found his new home in Bray, Co. Wicklow.

Four lots sold for €5,000 with the first to make this price being Rooskeynamona Valentino bred by Gerry Mulligan from Mohill in Co. Leitrim.

Born in February 2024, he was a single carrier of the F94L gene and sired by his stock bull Rooskeynamona Theodore, who has Sportsman Neptune, Barnsfort Ferny and Pirate in his back pedigree and his home bred dam was sired by Knockmoyle10 Loki (et). He found his new home in Claremorris, Co. Mayo.

Next to receive the €5,000 price was breeder Kenneth Clark from Ardnacrusha, Co. Clare for his bull Ballyfinnane Vance.

Vance carried one copy of the F94L gene and was sired by Corbaun Rory, and out of a home-bred dam Ballyfinnane Paula.

He had Blelack Digger, Balthayock Adonal, Clyth Diplomat, Cavelands Fenian, Naoille, and Goldstar Echo all in his back pedigree. He sold to a farmer from Ardrahan in Co. Galway.

Dereskit Vagas 1211 was the next bull into €5,000. He was bred by Basil Bothwell from Killeshandra, Co. Cavan.

Born in April 2024, he was sired by Cavelands Fenian and out of their home-bred dam Dereskit Rita 1035. He found his new home in Castlerea, Co. Roscommon.

The last lot to reach €5,000 was Gallaway Vernon. Born in May 2024, he was bred by Michael Kiernan from Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim. Sired by Rosanna Olmeta and out of Rosanna Juniper. He sold to a farmer in Kildysart in Co. Clare.

The Prime Charolais Herd, owned by the late Benny Keating from Templemore, Co. Tipperary, was dispersed on the day after the society bull sale. There was a 100% clearance rate and a top price of €8,800 paid for Prime Tamara (et).

Sired by Newhouse Bigal and out of Prime Rebecca (et), Tamara was described in the catalogue as "Benny’s own elite choice for the herd".

The next top-selling female was Prime Selma (et) who achieved €7,800. This in-calf female was sired by Heracles and out of Prime Lucy (et). She also sold to a fellow Charolais society member from Co. Laois.

The Keating family expressed their thanks and gratitude to all who turned up on the day and wished the buyers the best of luck with their purchases.

The Irish Charolais Cattle Society also expressed its thanks to all exhibitors and purchasers, and to the judges George Nelson and his daughter Erin from Co. Fermanagh.

The next Irish Charolais Cattle Society event is the National Charolais Show which will take place on Sunday, August 10, at the National Livestock Show in Tullamore.